Conservation and Health of Box Turtles in Forest Park and Tyson Research Center

Conservation and Health of Box Turtles in Forest Park and Tyson Research Center

Background

The Zoo's Institute for Conservation Medicine and its partners are studying box turtle health to better understand environmental factors that may be affecting the health of wildlife and humans alike. This program provides a database which will help to showcase the value of box turtles as sentinels for health issues.

The Zoo and its partners launched the Box Turtle Project in the spring of 2012 as turtles were coming out of hibernation. The project is led by Zoo and Washington University scientists, working closely with college and high school students, and engaging elementary school age students to get out into nature. Using box turtles as the ambassadors, we aim to get young people to better understand ecosystems in Missouri while appreciating just "getting dirty" and enjoying the natural world.

To begin this pilot project, 20 turtles—10 in Forest Park and 10 at Washington University's Tyson Research Center—were fitted with radio tags (VHF) that emit unique frequencies so they can be tracked. Turtles that received VHF tags and those that did not were marked with small V-shaped notches on their upper shells (the carapace) to provide individual identification. The students also helped scientists gather weekly mapping data points, body weights and veterinary checks.

Over the 2012 field season, the team marked and visually examined 85 turtles and collected biomaterials from 50 individuals. Blood drawn from the turtles in both rural and urban areas was analyzed for corticosterone levels (a stress-related hormone), in addition to other indicators of disease. In the preliminary data drawn from comparing and contrasting the movement patterns and health status of rural and urban turtles, urban turtles showed smaller home range sizes and higher levels of stress hormones.

St. Louis Interest

Many St. Louis citizens may not know that wild, native box turtles are residents of Forest Park in the heart of the city, or that turtle numbers are probably declining throughout the state of Missouri due to road kills, habitat loss and possibly disease. Although the conservation status of box turtles in Missouri is not well-understood, scientists believe they are in trouble in both urban and rural areas.

Goal

The goal of this project is to promote conservation of urban and rural box turtles in the St. Louis area by improving our understanding of the ranging patterns, ecology and health status of these delightful animals, and by developing an education and outreach program to increase awareness of the need to save turtles. The goal is also to compare and contrast the health status, movement behavior, and abundance of adult box turtles between the urban Forest Park and the rural Tyson Research Center turtle populations.

Conservation Science

Understanding the health of wildlife populations is increasingly seen as a critical part of conservation. In this pilot study, health assessments are conducted on turtles, including a physical exam to document any lesions or abnormal clinical signs as well as bodyweight, measurements and general condition. A small blood sample and cloaca and choanae swabs are collected to determine blood parameters and exposures to pathogens. In addition, the group studied migration patterns of the turtles with preliminary results showing that the turtles moved great distances over a few weeks.

Partners

Funding Sources

About Box Turtles

Box turtles, like most reptiles, are cold-blooded (ectothermic) and regulate their body temperature by basking during the cooler morning and evening hours, while seeking shade during hotter times of day. Box turtles get their name from a special hinge on the bottom part of their shell (the plastron) that allows them to close or "box" up as a form of protection against predators. Box turtles are omnivorous and typically eat worms, snails, berries, fungi and arthropods. Species, like the box turtles, which have few offspring, are slow-moving and late in maturing, and are particularly susceptible to human-related extinction.

Missouri has 17 species of turtles, including the ornate and three-toed box turtles, the two main turtles in this study. They can be differentiated mainly by carapace coloration. Ornates, as their names suggest, have more elaborate shells with orange and yellow lines on a dark background. Three-toed turtles have dull brown-green carapaces that may or may not have yellow line patterns. However, the two species can interbreed to create hybrid individuals. And, three-toed box turtles may have four toes! Their age can be estimated by counting the growth rings on the carapace; these turtles can live more than 50 years. Their preferred habitats are prairies, forests and glades.

St. Louis Box Turtle Project

Initiated in the spring of 2012, this project focuses on increasing awareness of the threats facing box turtles, engaging citizens in saving turtles and increasing available scientific information to help inform box turtle conservation. Read more about what young people are doing to better understand the ranging patterns, ecology and health status of turtles and what we are doing to engage youth in programs to protect turtles.

The St. Louis Box Turtle Club

They are a group of 4th and 5th graders from Captain Elementary who are working in partnership with the Zoo to track box turtles in Forest Park! They are hoping to learn more about box turtles and help preserve these amazing animals!

Meet Georgette, The Turtle Who Lived!

In 2013, we had the great pleasure of meeting Georgette, one of many box turtles in Forest Park. We gave her a little tracking device that she carries on her back so that we can follow her movements within Forest Park. Throughout our time knowing Georgette, she has overcome serious health challenges and proven that turtles can be very resilient. Read her story.